Convertible microscope



Aug. 18, 1925. 1,549,793.

- H. N. QTT ET AL CONVERTIBLE MICROS COPE Filed Dec. 15, 192$ Patented Aug. 18, 1925.

UNiTED STATES 1,549,7t3 PATENTOFFICE.

HARVEY 1\T. OT'I AND G EORGE J. HACKFORD, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO SPENCER LENS 0Q, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CONVERTIBLE MICROSCOPE.

Application filed December 15, 1923. Serial No. 680,945.

To all whom it mayconcem:

Be it knownthat we, Hnnvnv ll. Or'r and GnonenJ. Hnonnonn, citizens of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Convertible Microscopes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to microscopes of the kind having interchangeabl tubes so that the microscope can be used either for monocular or binocular observation or in connection with body tubes of different kinds, without interfering with or changing the focus of the objective.

The objects of this invention are to provide convertible microscopes with means for facilitating the removal of th body tubes therefrom and the positioning of tubes thereon without afiecting the objective in any way or changing the adjustment thereof; also to provide means of improved construction for ensuring the proper alinement and positioning of the body tube on the r instrument; also to improve the construction of convertible microscopes of this kind in other respects hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the upper part of a microscope embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof, partly in section, showing the body tube removed from the instrument.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing thebody tube partly positioned on the instrument.

Fig. d is a similar view on an enlarged scale showing the body tube in correct rela tion to the adjacent parts of the instrument.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation thereof on line 5-5, Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional plan view thereof on lin 66, Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevation showing the cooperating bearing faces of the upper part of the body tube andthead jacent part of the microscope.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary transverse sectional elevation showing a slightly modified construction.

The drawings show only the upper portion of a microscope, and A, Fig. 1, represents the upper portion of the usual arm rising from the base of the microscope. 0n this arm is mounted the usual intermediate slide a which is provided with a vertical bracket or support a having an outwardly extending arm or nose piece bracket a at the lower portionthereof, which is adapted to receive the nose piece carrying the usual objective or objectives (not shown) of the microscope. 13 represents the body tube of the microscope which contains the usual eye piece or eye pieces in the upper portion 7) thereof, The body tube terminates slightly above the nose piece bracket or arm a and may be of any suitable or desired kind, for example, of monocular or binocular type, and is detachably mounted on th adjustable support a in such a manner that it can be readily removed therefrom and replaced by another body tube, either for changing the microscope from a monocular to a binocular instrument, or vice versa or for using some other type of body tube in connection with the objective, the change from one form of body tube to another being made without in any way affecting the objective or its adjustment.

It has been found by experience that detachable body tubes for convertible microscopes provided with long bearing. surfaces have the disadvantage that considerable skill and accuracy must be used for bringing the bearings into alinement in positioning a tube on the microscope and also since these bearings must be made with very small clearances between adjacent bearing surfaces, foreign matter sometimes enters between these bearing surfaces and causes binding, which in turn necessitates the use of considerable force to place the tube intoits correct position, which may affect the adjustment of the objectives. For this reason it is desirable to provide a connection between the body tube and the instrument, which eliminates as much as possible the sliding movement of the body tube relatively to the instrument in positioning the tube on the instrument or removing the same therefrom. For this purpose, in the construction illustrated, the observation tube is provided with a part forming a saddle or bearing part c which is adapted tov seat upon a suitable bearing on the adjustable a, is formed on avertically adjustable support a and which is held on its seat by some positive clamping device, such, for example, as a screw, and suitable stops are provided for holding the body tube in correct alinement when the clamping means are applied. The saddle and its bearing and the stops form contact surfaces on the body tube and the adjustable supports, which the clamping device is adapted to move into and hold in engagement.

In the particular construction illustrated, an arm or extension C is provided on the observation tube, this extension projecting outwardly from a plate 0 secured to or formed on the side of the tube B. The arm or extension C is adapted to enter into a slot D in the adjustable support a and the arm or extension is provided, preferably in its lower face, with a seat or r cess 0 terming a saddle or bearing part 0 adapted to cooperate with a transverse bearing, which may be in the form elf a pin d secured rigidly in the adjustable support a and extending through the slot 1). The arm or extension C and the saddle portion thereo'l are so proportioned that the sides of the arm do not engage th sides of the slot and in order to insure the correct positio iii of the body tube with reference to the optical axis of the instrument, the support or pin 0?, in the construction shown, is provided with a portion cl of reduced diameter, and tapering or trusto conical faces (Z are arovided at opposite sic es of the reduced portion 5". The reduced portion is of the same length the width of the arm or extension C and consequently when the arm is pressed downwardly against its seat, the inclined portions (5 guide the saddle portion of the arm or extension into its correct seating position on the bearing pin The bearing pin is preferably used to cooperate with the portion of the arm or xtension C since a pin of this kind can be inexpenc, ely manufactured, but it is not intended to limit the invention to a pin oi" this kind since obviously other seating means r ay be provided to cooperate with the arm er: sion C for corl1 re *tly posi ioning Lne body tube.

Y I i I, 4 J3 in order to insure t e correct seating or the saddle on its be, saddle on its seat, ac vided "which engages and to hold the deuce is prothe body tube. In the cons r ,c "this purpose, elainping sc a hich engages in a threadec as upper part of the 2 ustable s 'ort and the lower end of rich is tar l and extends into the slot ii. i face of the arm extension C is provided with a hole or reces: with which the lower end of the clamping screw is adapted to eo operate, a conical hole 6 being shown in the construction illustrated. Consequently in posi ioning the body tube on the microscope,

slot D so that the seating part or recess ;s on the pin (Z upon turnping screw, the lower end of ill enter the conical hole 0 and one side thereof, as shown n l 3.

pen further turning of the clamping screw, the engagement between the screw and the arm or extension C Nil move the '0 t e correct vertical position, and at the same time ed iijorce upon the Q to insure a proper seat portion thereof on the re the bearin in (Z.

a n'ieans are provided to limit movement or the body tube from its in position, shown in so that the n 'cment oi the body tube is on the body tube r t aches the verwhich the l i, (r the position in N. 1- r 1 7 axis or the body tube is in correct relation J. n I, T it, F. to the "o -l n axis oi re instrument. in

the COIlSClfdCbi-O" shown for this purpose, a stop progcction or shoulder F provided, or part oi the plate 5 e er CY) LIL/a guide slot 5 til 1 n 1 1 I on the the outer hat l'ac the adji ihis centering pin e 1e vertical slot into the shoulder ll re adjustable modified construction shown in substantially cylindrical beariir provided which extends through in the acjustable srq'iport a a pin of this kind used. whicir has no ed bearing portion eoi esponding to part (5 of the pin (Z, other means for cetering the arm dr extension C must be provided, and for this purpose, in the conshuction sl-own, a pin 1 extends through the arn'i or or ,tion (l and the ends of the pin extend be; nd the sides of the arm or extension C and are adapted to engage the inner upright side walls oi the slot D.

In the use of the interchangeable microscope, the tube B may be mounted upon the adjustable support a of the microscope by moving the arm or extension G into the slot D and passing the pin G into the vertical guide slot g. Then, upontightening the clampingscrew E, the saddle of the eX- tension or arm G will be pressed against its seat on the bearing pinrd and the inclined portions of the pin will correctly position the extension or arm laterally within the slot. If the construction shown in Fig. 8 is used, the ends of the pin I, engaging the side walls of the slot, will. serve to correctly position the extension C on the adjustable support a The clamping screw also exerts a rearward pull upon the extension or arm C so as to swing this arm and the body tube from the position shown in 3 to that shown in Fig. l, in which latter position the stop shoulder F engages the outer wall f of the adjustable support a The body tube is then positively held in correct relation to the instrument and it will be noted that no extensive sliding bearing surfaces are employed. The body tube is, therefore, easily installed on an instrument and can be removed with equal ease by simply releasing the clamping screw E and withdrawing the body tube laterally from the instrument. V

We claim as our invention:

1. In a convertible microscope, the combination of anadjustable support, a body tube removably secured on said support and having a bearing part, a bearing part on said adjustable support which is adapt-ed to cooperate with said bearing part on said body tube, and a clamping device arranged above said bearing parts and adapted to cause said body tube to swing about said bearing on said adjustable support into a correct position with reference to the optical axis of the microscope and to press said bearing parts into engagement.

2. In a convertible miscroscope, the combination of an adjustable support, a body tube removably secured on said support and having bearing part, a bearing part on said adjustable support which is adapted to cooperate with said bearing part on said body tube, a clamping device adapted to cause said body tube to swing about said bearing on said adjustable support, and cooperating stop parts on said tube and said adjustable support to stop the swinging movement of said tube when said tube reaches the correct position with reference to the optical axis of themicroscope.

3. In a convertible microscope, the combination of an adjustable support, a body tube removably secured on said support and having a bearing part, a bearing part on said adjustable support which is adapted to cooperate with saidbearingpart on said body tube, stop faces on said tube and said support, and a single clamping device which presses said bearing parts and said stop faces into engagement to hold said body part in correct relation to said nose piece bracket.

41-. In a convertible microscope, the com-- bination of an adjustable support, a body tube removably secured on said support and having a pair of bearing surfacesspaced apart, corresponding bearing surfaces on said adjustable support with which said bearing surfaces of said body tube are adapted to engage, and a clamping device arranged intermediate ofsaid surfaces and serving to press said surfaces into engagement and adapted to be released to enable said body tube to be removed from said support.

5. In a convertible microscope, the combination of an adjustable support having a nose piece bracket, a body tube removably secured on said support out of contact with said nose piece bracket and having an extension projecting laterally from said body tube and having a bearing surface on the lower part thereof, a corresponding bearing surface on said adjustable support with which the bearing surface of said body tube is adapted to engage, and a clamping device adapted to act on the upper face of said extension to hold said bearing surfaces in engagement.

. 6. In a convertible microscope, the combination of an adjustable support having a nose piece bracket, a body tube removably secured on said support and having an extension projecting laterally from said body tube and having a bearing surface on the lower part thereof, a corresponding bearing surface on said adjustable support with which the bearing surface of said body tube is adapted to engage, a clamping device adapted to act on the upper face of said extension to hold said bearing surfaces in engagement, and stop surfaces on said body tube and said adjustable support spaced at a distance from said bearing surfaces and adapted to be held in engagement by said clamping devices, whereby said body tube positioned in correct relation to the optical axis of the microscope.

'Z. In a convertible microscope, the combination of an adjustable support having'a nose pi cc bracket, a body tube removably secured on said support out of engagement with said nose piece bracket and having an evtension projecting laterally from said body tube and having a bearing surface on the lower part thereof, a corresponding hearing surface on said adjustable support with which the bearing-surface of said body tube is. adapted to engage, a clamping device adapted to act on the upper face of said extension at a distance from said bearing surfaces to hold said bearing surfaces in enper are sea an a. stance rr L said bearing surfaces and he d in engagement by said clamping device, and cooperating parts on said. body tube and s adjustable support for holding said stop sur faces against lateral displacement relatively to each other.

8. In a convertible microscope the combination of an adjustable support having a nose piece brac i the tower a LlOl'l thereof and having a recess spaced above said nose piece bracket, a body tube removably secured on said support and having an extension projecting laterally therefrom and adapted to enter into said recess, said extension having a bearing surface on the lower part thereof, a corresponding bearing surface within said recess with which the hearing surface of said body tube is adapted to engage, and a clamping device extending into said recess and adapted to act on said extension to hold said bearing surfaces in engagement and which is releasable to permit said body tube to be removed from the microscope independently of said nose piece bracket.

9. In a convertible microscope, the combination of an adjustable support having a nose piece bracket at the lower portion thereof and having a recess spaced above said nose piece bracket, abody tube removably secured on said support and having an extension projecting laterally therefrom and adapted to enter into said recess, said extensien having a bearing surface on the lower part thereof, a corresponding bearing surface ithin said recess with which the hearing surface of said body tube is adapted to engage, a clamping device extending into said recess and adapted to act on said extension to hold said bearing surfaces in engagement and which is releasable to permit said body tube to be removed from the micro scope inde cndentlv of said nose piece bracket, and contacting parts on said body tube and said adjustable support which are adapted to be held in engagement by said clamping device and which serve to position said body tube in correct relation to the optical axis of the microscope.

10. in a convertible microscope, the combination of an adjustable support having nose piece bracket at the lower portion thereof and having a recess spaced above said nose piece bracket, a body tube removably secured on said support and having an extension projecting laterally therefrom and adapted to enter into said recess, said extension having a bearing surface on the lower part thereof, a corresponding bearing surface within said recess with which the bear ing surface of said body tube is adapted to engage, said recess being of greater dimensions than said extension so that the sides of said extension are normally out of contact with the walls of said recess, and means for correctly positioning said extension in said recess.

11. In a convertible microscope, the combination of an adjustable support having a nose piece bracket, a body tube removably secured on said support out of engagement with said nose piece bracket, an extension projecting laterally from said body tube and having a bearing surface on the lower por tion thereof, a bearing on said adjustable support and with which said bearing surface is adapted to engage, cooperating parts on said xtension and said bearing for corr ctly positioning said extension on said hearing, and a clamping device adapted to act on said extension to press said bearing surfaces into engagement and to move said cooperative parts into engagement.

In a convertible microscope, the combi ion of an adjustable support having a. piece bracket, a body tube removably secured on said support, an extension projecting laterally from said body tube and having a bearing surface on the lower portion thereof, a bearing on said adjustable support and with which said bearing surface is adapted to engage, said bearing having an intermediate depressed portion and downwardly inclined parts terminating in said depressed portion, said inclined parts serving to correctly position said bearing surface of said extension on said bearing, and clamping means for holding said bearing surface in engagement with said bearing.

13. A convertible microscope having an adjustable support provided with a recess, a body tube having an extension adapted to enter into said recess and having a bearing surface on the lower part of said extension, a bearing pin extending across said recess and with which said bearing surface is adapted to engage, a clamping screw extending downwardly into said recess and adapted to engage the upper part of said extension and to press said bearing surface into engagement with said bearing pin, and cooperating parts on said body tube and on the upper part of said adjustable support which are adapted to be held in engagen'ient by said clan ping screw for correctly positioning said body tube with reference to the microscope.

1 1-. In a convertible miscroscope, the combination of an adjustable support having a nose piece bracket at the lower portion thereof and having a recess spaced above said nose piece bracket, a body tube removably secured on said support and having an extension projecting laterally therefrom and ited to enter into said recess, said extension having a bearing surface on the lower part thereof, a bearing pin extending through said recess and having an interinetending into said recess and adapted to press diate portion of reduced cross section and said bearing surface intoengagement with 10 tapering parts connecting said reduced porsaid bearing pin and adapted to be released tion of said pin with the portions thereof of toperinit said body tube to be removed from larger diameter, said tapering parts servsaid miscroscope,

ing to correctly position said bearing surface of said extension on the reduced portion of HARVEY N. OTT.

said bearing pin, and a clamping screw ex: GEORGE J. HACKFURD. 

